Hot Baked Dishes

A cold weekend night demands a hot baked dish.It's a great meal to come home to, especially after shoveling or just sleighing.This kind of dinner is versatile too.You can try a hearty shepherd's pie one week and baked cannelloni the next.Either way, they're a great way to warm up an empty stomach. Lasagna is one of the most popular baked dishes.Kids go mad for it and it 's guaranteed you'll have few leftovers afterwards.The recipe is basic, starting with layers of wide noodles alternating between ricotta cheese and sauce.Some add chopped meat or for a vegetarian spin ,layers of roasted eggplant ,carrots and asparagus.You can also try the Greek version of moussaka.This is made with eggplant ,red wine and a variety of spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg .A béchamel sauce is then poured over it and then it is served.A real crowd pleaser is shepherd"s pie.This really isn't layered so much as it is topped off.A crispy mashed potato covers a rich lamb or beef stew. These are the most popular however there are other baked dishes that are equally delicious. Manicotti or stuffed baked crepes are another perfect oven dish.Like lasagna, this can have variations.Usually stuffed with ricotta cheese, they can also be filled with spinach.You can also fill them with ground beef too.Cannelloni is similar too ,made with roman cheese.A mid century classic is tuna casserole.Not many make it these day,heaven only knows why because it's just as good as any other dish.The ingredients are egg noodles,tuna, mushrooms and mushroom soup?Noodle casseroles don't have to layered like the others.Simply mix in a buttered pan and bake. The weather outside may be frightful but a baked dish inside is delightful.Make any baked dish from lasagna to shepherd's pie ,from moussaka to tuna casserole for a tummy warming dinner.It's the perfect antedate for a chilly weekend dinner.